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Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars/ mountain lions,bobcats, wolverines, lynx, foxes, fishers and martens are the suite of carnivores that originally inhabited North America after the Pleistocene extinctions.
This site invites research, commentary, point/counterpoint on that suite of native animals (predator and prey) that inhabited The Americas circa 1500-at the initial point of European exploration and subsequent colonization.
Landscape ecology, journal accounts of explorers and frontiersmen, genetic evaluations of museum animals, peer reviewed 20th and 21st century research on various aspects of our "Wild America" as well as subjective commentary from expert and layman alike. All of the above being revealed and discussed with the underlying goal of one day seeing our Continent rewilded.....Where big enough swaths of open space exist with connective corridors to other large forest, meadow, mountain, valley, prairie, desert and chaparral wildlands.....Thereby enabling all of our historic fauna, including man, to live in a sustainable and healthy environment. - Blogger Rick

Ecology of

the

Ocelot

and Margay

.

The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) andMargay (Leopardus wiedii) are two small spotted cats that live in neotropical forests. They are more closely related to each other than to ncestor (Slattery et al. 1994; Masuda et al. 1996; Eizirik et al. 1998). In this report, we compare the ecology of these two cats, noting similarities and differences.

Although similar in appearance, the Ocelot and Margay can be told apart by many small characters (Emmons 1990). For example,the Margay's tail is longer than its hind leg, while the Ocelot's tail is shorter than its hind leg (Emmons 1990). In addition, the Ocelot is larger and more robust than the Margay (weighing about 3 times as much), and hunts for food mainly on the ground (Goldman 1920; Emmons 1988).

In contrast, the Margay forages for food mainly in trees (Guggisberg 1975, Konecny 1989), and shows many adaptations for arboreal living. For example, the smaller size of the Margay enables it to walk further out on branches than the Ocelot, and its longer tail enables it to more easily maintain balance. It also has superb leaping ability (Petersen 1977) and its claws are proportionately longer than the Ocelot (Leyhausen 1963; Konecny 1989). In addition, the Margay is the only New World cat with joints that rotate sufficiently for it to climb headfirst down trees with hind feet turned facing the trunk, like a squirrel (Leyhausen 1963; Emmons 1990).

Distribution and Habitat

The Margay ranges from the Mexican state of Sonora and the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas to Uruguay and Argentina (Gallo-Reynoso and Navarro-Serment 2002). Only one specimen is known from the historic period of Texas: an adult male collected at Eagle Pass and entered into the U.S. National Museum collection in 1852 (Hollister 1914).

Because the Margay is generally less abundant than the Ocelot throughout its range (Goldman 1920; Leopold 1959), and is secretive in its habits, it is unknown whether or not Margays still roam south Texas. However, the extensive deforestation and brush clearing that has occurred there does not inspire much hope, particularly the destruction of most of the tall, gallery forests of Montezuma Bald Cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) and Sabal Palm (Sabal texana) along the Lower Rio Grande River.

The Eagle Pass specimen differs from Mexican Margays in that its fur is longer, with solid or nearly solid black dorsal spots, instead of enclosed lighter areas (Goldman 1943). For this reason, the Margay specimen from Eagle Pass was classified as a unique subspecies and given the scientific nameLeopardus wiedii cooperi (Goldman 1943).

Although many people assume that the Margay is found only in lowland tropical forests, Nelson and Goldman (1931) collected an adult male specimen of this cat at an altitude of over 3000 meters near the summit of Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca, Mexico in 1894. While it is possible that this and the Eagle Pass specimen were just individual cats that wandered outside their normal haunts, both demonstrate that we have much to learn still about the Margay.

In this regard, prehistoric records are especially interesting because they suggest further penetration of this species into what is now the United States of America. For example, a sub-fossil specimen of the Margay dated 2,400 BC has been collected from a shell midden in a tidal marsh near the mouth of the Sabine River, Orange County, Texas (Eddleman and Akersten 1966). This locality is just a short distance west of the Texas-Louisiana border.

The Ocelot currently ranges from south Texas and Sonora to northern Argentina and Uruguay. However, its range in historic times was considerable greater. In the 1800's, the Ocelot occurred throughout the state of Texas and also in parts of the states of Arkansas, Louisiana and Arizona (Hall 1981). The disappearance of the Ocelot from most of its United States range was a great loss for, as Audubon noted, it is the most beautiful of all cats found in North America (Audubon &Bachman 1846).

Studies of the remaining U.S.A. Ocelots (i.e. those in south Texas) have found them restricted to dense thorn shrub and forest habitats with over 75% canopy cover (Shindle 1996, Shindle & Tewes 1998; Harveson et al. 2004; Horne et al. 2009). Unfortunately, because of extensive brush clearing and deforestation by humans, less than 1% of south Texas now supports these kinds of habitats (Tewes & Everett 1986). The result is that the last surviving Ocelots in the U.S.A. (approximately 100 in number) are now endangered because their brush and forest habitats are almost gone (Mora 2000; Haines et al. 2005; Janecka et al. 2007, 2008).

Chester Moore column: A look back at the return of bears to Texas

There has been an increase in bear sightings in East Texas, the Hill Country along with an expanding population in the Trans-Pecos region. It has been going on for the last 10-15 years and today I thought it would be a good time to look back on their expansion.

“The black bear is a part of Texas’ natural heritage and forest ecology, the Louisiana black bear is on the federal threatened species list and is thus the focus of an ongoing restoration effort in Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, and black bears appear to be poised for a slow return in East Texas,” said Nathan Garner, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) regional director in Tyler.

Garner was the first person I ever interviewed about bears in East Texas and he has been on top of the issue for many years.

A possible obstacle the bear’s return in the region is poaching, which still looms large in some areas. Shooting a Louisiana black bear (which all bears in East Texas are considered) is a state and a federal crime and since they come under auspices of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), fines could be as high as $25,000 and come with six months jail time.

Another potential problem is misidentification since bear and feral hogs can look similar at a distance especially when someone is not expecting to see a bear.

That is why it is important for people entering bear country to get educated about these great animals. Their comeback is happening right now. A few years ago I helped create black bear educational posters that were distributed as digital downloads to hundreds of individuals, teachers, scout leaders and church groups. If you would like one, email me at chester@kingdomzoo.com and I will get you a copy.

Bear sightings were giving people in the Texas Hill Country a shock in 2011 during the prolonged drought. So much so they sent out a press release noting that wildlife biologists were advising hunters, ranchers and rural residents that black bears appear to be roaming longer distances and may approach people or houses in search of food and water because of the drought.

“If conditions remain dry, people could see more bears, said Mike Krueger, district leader of the Edwards Plateau Wildlife District for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The East Texas Bear Task Force held their winter meeting Thursday at the Ellen Trout Zoo. The meeting was to discuss the progress of a future Black Bear population in East Texas.

"The Louisiana Black Bear is native to East Texas," task force Chairman Nathan Gardner said. "East Texas is the perfect spot for the bears to be." Gardner told the crowd that East Texas was home to the bears but after World War II researchers started to notice a decline. "They disappeared due to over hunting and destruction of their habitat," Gardner said.

Gardner also said there is plenty of room in East Texas for the bears to have a livable area."We have nearly a million acres across East Texas that have good bear habitat," Gardner said.The Louisiana Black Bear is native to environments found along the Angelina, Neches and Sabine Rivers. The population has dwindled in Texas but researchers claim other states nearby are experiencing growth."Louisiana has a lot of bears," Gardner said. "So does Arkansas and Oklahoma."Gardner told the crowd that 30 years ago, Oklahoma did not have any bears and now the state has between 400-600 bears. The task force uses research from SFA Professor Christopher Comer. Comer has been studying to find out the best places for the bears to re-populate. Comer believes the bears and humans can co-exist.

"There are rather large in states that are densely populated like Pennsylvania, New York State, New Jersey where they have hundreds of bears living in close proximity to people," Comer said

Comer said it is only a matter of time until the bears return to East Texas.They do eventually, naturally re-colonize these areas but it will take a lot of time," Comer said.Sarah Fuller said the bears do get a bad reputation. "These are not Grizzly Bears," Fuller said. "These bears like to hand out and hide in the woods. They are omnivores but mostly eat plants."

Early 20th century Black Bear killed in Teas

Fuller also said the re-introduction of black bears into East Texas will be a long process. "It is a long way away because the black bears are returning naturally, so it is going to take some time," Fuller said. "We are in this for the long haul. This is likely a multi-generational effort."

For more information on the group's effort, click here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Historical accounts of Black Bear Hunting in the Big Thicket of East Texas 1830-1925

The Big Thicket Bear

Hunters Club of Kountze

“They Dream Of Killing the Bears”

By W. T. Block

The old bear hunters of Hardin County had two thingsin common - they hunted bears until their youthgave way to old age, and they became windy raconteurs, talking each other to death about the big bear thatgot away. In fact around 1925, a half dozen or soold bear hunters met each Saturday morning under the big beech tree beside the Nona-Fletcher sawmill office in Kountze. They played “42” dominoes and swapped bear-hunting yarns for three hours before dozing off to sleep and snoring in their hide bottom chairs.

Old John Kilrain, known locally as “Old Kil,” often
passed by the mill office, exercising his dogs,
while the bear hunters were playing dominoes. Kilrain,
an old Negro, had been born a slave in 1864 before
emancipation, and had led many of the bear hunts
after 1890, his dogs always sticking to a bear’s trail
until the latter was cornered. Kil always had a little
ditty, which he sang as he passed the dozing bear
hunters, as follows:

“The old
dogs
sleep
in the
sunshine,
And the old
men doze
in their chairs,
The old guns
hang there
a-rustin,
While they dream
about killing
the bears.”1

Strangely almost
nothing was
written about
bear-
hunting in Southeast
Texas prior
to the Civil War
although an occasional
tale about
black panthers was
published. About 1830
James Barnes,
the pioneer
patriarch of that family
in Northwest
Tyler
County, killed
14 panthers in one day,
winning for him
his lifetime
appellation of “Panther Barnes”
among his
friends. However,
bear-hunting stories were
principally non-existent
prior to the 1870s.

In 1878 an article noted that some Southeast Texans made
almost a profession of slaying ‘Old Bruin’ if he came
within rifle range. Yet it was well-known that those earliest
bear hunters ate every bear that they killed, killing for
sport being wholly unknown to them. Galveston Weekly
News reported in 1878 that: “Mr. A. Stephenson, the old
bear hunter of Southeast Texas, killed 33 bears last season,
and so far this season, has killed 49 bears...”2

A story about the Sour Lake Hotel in 1878 reported that
the surrounding forests were filled with bears, panthers,
deer, and bobcats. A Galveston Daily News reporter
noted that while he was there, two hunters and their
dog were trailing a bear near the hotel, when suddenly
old bruin turned on them, killed one man and the dog
before the reporter added:3

“...The other man came up and rushed after
Old Bruin with his knife. Bruin rose upon his
hind legs, gave him a hug, and then crushed
his skull in his mouth like an egg shell...
when a man named Steele arrived and
shot the bear dead...”

“The two men killed by the bear were
named Scott - father and son. The senior,
old John Scott was a chief of the Alabama
Indians living in that country...”

Another story was labeled “The Hunter’s
Elysium,” and first appeared in the LibertyVindicator in 1889. Judge Hightower and his
friends were hunting bears in the Big Thicket
when suddenly they heard a yelp from Old
Statler, the judge’s favorite hunting dog. The
bear found an opening in the jungle, where he
chose to stand and fight off the dogs.

Old Bruin, fighting fiercely with every claw
and fang he could muster, soon killed Old
Statler and was seen attacking another dog
when Hightower, his hunting knife drawn,
jumped up on the bear’s back. The judge
stabbed the bear twice in the animal’s heart
before Old Bruin sank slowly to the ground.
Hightower had saved the rest of his dogs,
while his companions stood by too terror-
stricken to move.4

The passing of the black bears from the
Big Thicket marked the passage of an era,
leaving the surviving bear hunters with
nothing to do except doze in the shade
of the beech tree and dream about killing
the bears that were about extinct. And
now the Big Thicket bear hunters are as
extinct as the Big Thicket bears they
once hunted. Luckily the black bears are
far from extinct elsewhere in the United
States and perhaps some day a few of
them will be released once more to restock
the area. At present it is sad there are none
left to browse on the mayhaws in the
baygalls or gather the acorn mast left in
the creek bottoms.

Louisiana Black Bear History

The Louisiana black bear once ranged throughout LA
and parts of MS, AR, and TX. The black bear was
common at the time of early colonization, serving
as food both for Indians and white settlers. More
than 80 percent of prime Louisiana black bear
habitat in the Mississippi River floodplain had
been lost by the early 1990’s primarily due to
clearing land for agriculture. Quality of the
remaining habitat has been reduced by
fragmentation and human activities.

An 1890 record shows 17 parishes containing
bears, all of them in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya
region. It was reported that the most extensive
areas of bottomland hardwoods in the state have
“at least a few bears”, with the greatest number
found in the denser woodlands along the Tensas
, Red, Black, and Atchafalaya Rivers. In the late
1950s, bears occupied habitat in the Tensas-
Madison area in northeast Louisiana and in the
lower fringes of the Atchafalaya Basin. The bear
population in Louisiana at this time was reported
as “sparse” with an estimated 80 to 120 bears.
Although there were few bears in the state,
hunting was still permitted. It was believed
that if bear populations increased significantly,
predation and crop damage would become
extensive.

Black bear could be legally hunted in parts of Louisiana through the late-1980s, but there was little interest due to low bear numbers and hunts were uncommon. One of the last organized bear hunts in Louisiana occurred December 15, 1955. During this hunt, 5 bears were harvested in the Lake Providence area. It was recommended to the Wildlife Commission that the bear season be closed. Bear hunting was closed the following season and remained closed until 1961. The season was opened again from 1962-1965 with hunting permitted only in northeast Louisiana and in the coastal parishes. The hunting season was again closed from 1966 to 1974. It was reopened in 1975-1987 with hunting restricted to the Atchafalaya Basin. The Louisiana bear hunting season has remained closed since 1988. From 1964 through 1967, 161 black bears were live-trapped in Cook County, Minnesota and released in the Mississippi and Atchafalaya River bottoms of Louisiana in an effort to restock black bear to the state. By 1968 there was evidence that the translocated bears were reproducing. However, most of the relocated bears were killed on roads, as nuisance animals, or during recapture. Perhaps 400 to 600 bears are believed to roam
Louisiana as of 2015

Two Massachusetts Eastern Coyotes at their den site

Eastern Wolf in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

Aldo Leopold--3 quotes from his SAN COUNTY ALMANAC

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."

Aldo Leopold

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold

''To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering."

Wildlife Rendezvous

Like so many conscientious hunters and anglers come to realize, good habitat with our full suite of predators and prey make for healthy and productive living............Teddy Roosevelt depicted at a "WILDLIFE RENDEZVOUS"

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This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time…I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point in time snapshot and manifestation of my various thoughts and opinions, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed within out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those I may hold today. All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Rick Meril and WWW.COYOTES-WOLVES-COUGARS.COM make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.